Sixth difficulty: High hopes make a person heedless of death. It has been narrated that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم took three pieces of wood. One he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم planted in front of himself, second next to it, whereas the third one at a little distance, he then said to the blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم, ‘Do you know what this is?’ They humbly said, ‘Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم know best.’ It was then said, ‘One piece of wood (represents) is a human and the second one is death, whereas the distant one is hope. A human moves his hand towards hope, but instead of hope death pulls him towards it.’

(Mawsu’ah Ibn Abid Dunya, vol. 3, pp. 306, Raqm 10)

دِل سے الفتِ دنیا بالیقیں نکل جاتی          خار ان کے صَحرا کا دل میں گر اُتَر جاتا

لازمی ہے ہر صورت چھوڑنا گناہوں کا         بھائی موت سے پہلے کاش! تُو سدھر جاتا

Important advice

Dear Islamic brothers! Imagine yourself close to death. Recall those of your relatives and friends who have met death and they have been buried beneath tons of earth. Listen to a piece of advice of an advisor about high hopes:

Sayyiduna Abu Zakariyya Taymi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has narrated that caliph Sulayman Bin ‘Abdul Malik was sitting in Masjid-ul-Haraam, a stone was brought to him with something written on it. A person who could read it was searched for, and Sayyiduna Wahb Bin Munabbih رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه came. It was written on it,     ‘O son of Aadam! If you see death that is close to life, then you must give up high hopes and increase your deeds. Furthermore, you will give up all of your greed and efforts and if you slip, you will feel ashamed on the Day of Judgement. Your family members and neighbours will leave you alone in the grave; parents and relatives will be gone; your children will abandon you and you will neither be able to return to the world nor increase your good deeds, therefore, prepare for the Day of Judgement before being ashamed.’ Having heard this, Sulayman Bin ‘Abdul Malik wept bitterly.

(Ihya-ul-‘Uloom, vol. 5, pp. 199)

قبر میں میّت اُترنی ہے ضرور      جیسی کرنی ویسی بھرنی ہے ضرور